What might have been
by Tania Darling
Summary: JS,sorta.Queen sarah is sent back in time,but doesnt know who did it or why,then she meets J. of the past
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, or any characters from the movie.  
  
A/N: this is a repost, with editing and minor additions.  
  
What Might Have Been...  
  
Chapter One  
  
The Goblin King was in his chambers, writing a letter to Anton, the Prince of Thenasdar- a neighbouring country.  
  
"Your Highness" called a servant from the open doorway  
  
"One of the Goblins has just reported that there is a woman in the castle"  
  
"A what?" repeated Jareth incredulously.  
  
"A woman, Sire"  
  
Jareth stood up slowly, and faced the servant.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"One of the passage ways, Sire"  
  
"Well find her!"  
  
---- - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------  
  
Sarah opened her eyes slowly and stretched her slender arms above her head. She rolled over, and was surprised to find the bed empty, she had been expecting to see her husband next to her. Confused, she sat up and looked around the room.  
  
"What the hell...?" she exclaimed, her room was...different, covered in dust and grime. None of her things, including her clothes were there, and the door looked like it hadn't been opened in years! Sarah, still dressed in her long green nightgown, left the room. Clearly, something strange, or at least stranger than was normal for the Labyrinth, was going on and the best thing she could do was get out of the way.  
  
Meanwhile, in the King's chambers, a Goblin sidled up next to the servant, and muttered to him.  
  
"What now?" asked Jareth, idly tapping his pen against the desk.  
  
"The woman is no longer in the palace, your Majesty. However it's just been reported that she's in the late Queen's garden."  
  
"What?" shouted Jareth "how did she get in there, it's been locked for years!"  
  
The goblin and the servant looked uncertain and confused  
  
"Never mind" snapped Jareth, "I'll go and see for myself!"  
  
___--------------------------------------------------- ----------  
  
He approached the open gate silently and stepped inside. A woman stood in the centre of the dead garden, her back to him. Shoulder-length brown hair flowed loose over her neck, and her dark green nightgown clung to the curves of her body. Experience told him that she was not a young girl, though something about her posture struck him as familiar. The woman turned around slowly, the face was older and more defined, her body had filled out but he recognized her!  
  
"Sarah?" he said uncertainly, surely it had only been three years in her world as well as his, but this woman was no eighteen year old!  
  
"Jareth, what happened to the..." her voice trailed off, as he glared at her.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Is this some kind of joke? I live here!" 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: still don't own it  
  
A/N chapter two repost  
  
What might have been...  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Silence followed her angry declaration; Jareth took that moment to examine her magically.  
  
"You're human" he exclaimed, "but you know who I am!"  
  
"Yes, and yes" she replied impatiently, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him.  
  
"Impossible" said Jareth, unconsciously mimicking her defensive gesture; he crossed his own arms over his black clad chest.  
  
"Everything is possible" she remarked with a smile, "You taught me that"  
  
"I have never said anything like that to you!"  
  
"You did! When you showed up out of nowhere that time-I realize it was a while ago but..." her voice trailed off as she registered his lack of comprehension, "You don't remember that?"  
  
"No... I don't remember you, either. But you are Sarah Williams, or at least you appear to be."  
  
"Yes, of course I am. What kind of game are you playing?"  
  
Sarah was frustrated and confused, first the castle was different, then her garden was dead, and now her husband was acting like he didn't know her!  
  
"I was about to ask you the same thing"  
  
"I am not playing games, and I would really like to know why you are acting so strangely?"  
  
"I am not 'acting strangely'" argued Jareth, "and *I* want to know why you look so different?"  
  
Jareth was surprised to see a look of total confusion on the woman's face.  
  
Could it be that she really doesn't know that she looks different?   
  
"I look exactly the same as last time you saw me", Sarah protested furiously  
  
"No, you don't."  
  
Jareth repeated himself slowly, as if she were stupid, Sarah opened her mouth to argue. Jareth forestalled her angry protestations, by continuing his reasoning.  
  
"Last time I saw you, you were a fifteen-year-old child. Now, you are neither fifteen"  
  
His eyes swept over her body, taking in all the changes  
  
"Nor a child. But neither are you eighteen and it has only been three years since you...forgot me"  
  
"I forgot you?" she repeated, "no that's not what happened...eighteen?"  
  
"Yes" he confirmed his previous statement, and explained far more calmly than he felt.  
  
"The Sarah Williams I encountered, three years ago, was a fifteen-year-old girl-who rather foolishly wished for the goblins to take away her brother. Presumably you know how this story ends?"  
  
"The foolish girl refuses the Goblin Kings offer of her dreams in return for the child. She then defeats formidable odds, including a rather unusual piece of fruit, to reach the Castle beyond the Goblin city and the child within it"  
  
"She then proceeds to deny the Kings' power over her, and return to her mortal realm-with her brother, believing the nights events to have been a dream" concluded Jareth bitterly, the memories of that day were, for him at least, still strong.  
  
Sarah stared at him in astonishment, she had never forgotten what happening that night-how close she had come to losing everything to him.  
  
"That's not right!" she protested faintly "I never forgot you"  
  
"A mystery indeed, and one I intend to solve. However, this is not the place to discuss it"  
  
"Of course" she agreed quickly, Jareth glanced at her.  
  
Surely I wouldn't have told her why I don't like this place!   
  
"We will return to the castle, to continue our discussion"  
  
"As you like," she replied, with what was, to him, an uncharacteristically submissive attitude.  
  
- ------------------------------------------- --- - - - - - - - -  
  
Review thanks for chapter one (well duh!):  
  
Whispered Orca: glad you love my idea, and well that was the update  
  
UKTara: your fic rocks!! Glad you enjoyed my humble effort!  
  
Arwen-Nenya: glad you like, hope that's a good 'different'  
  
Alorindanya: the titles supposed to be relevant?! Just kidding, it is.  
  
Anne-Marie: not sure if this is a longer chapter, but hey an updates an update right?  
  
Kalinda: glad you liked chapter one, hope you liked two.  
  
Thanks to all of you for reading and reviewing, please do so again if you read this chapter. 


	3. chapter Three

Disclaimer: I don't own it, have I disclaimed this one yet? if I haven't I repeat I do not own it.  
  
What might have been  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Jareth transported the pair of them to his private chambers, he studied Sarah carefully  
  
"So...How did you end up in my castle?"  
  
"That's a good question. I went to bed, like I normally do, and when I woke up I was here"  
  
"And how do I know that you are not an impostor"  
  
"Ask me a question that no one you know would know the answer to," suggested Sarah  
  
"Very well, how did you get into the Queen's Garden?"  
  
"You gave me the Key"  
  
"But I have no memory of that event, therefore it probably hasn't happened in this timeline"  
  
"Yet" corrected Sarah, he nodded agreement  
  
"Show me the key"  
  
Yes" agreed Sarah, lifting the top half of her nightgown, actually a vest and a skirt, she pointed to her navel  
  
Well" said Jareth, after examining the (magical equivalent of a) tattoo around her belly button.  
  
"The Rose, and the Crystal Tear" he concluded, referring to the marking and the piercing.  
  
"Believe me now?" she replied, smiling at him  
  
"I am convinced that you are the Queen; there is no trickery that can falsify those markings. In fact, someone tried only a matter of weeks ago"  
  
"An agent of Palena, the former Queen of Thenasdar" supplied Sarah "you told me, when you gave me the Key"  
  
"I thought we'd established that that wasn't me"  
  
Sarah sighed, and lowered her vest to cover her stomach.  
  
"You haven't changed" she remarked, using her fingers to emphasise her point.  
  
"Stubborn, arrogant, self-absorbed..."  
  
Jareth glared at her, but she only smiled teasingly and continued,  
  
"...Powerful, Magical, Irresistible. We very nearly drove each other crazy at the beginning, but for some reason you put up with me."  
  
"At this point, I can't imagine why I would want her in my life"  
  
"In this timeline, I'm eighteen; but in my own I didn't meet you again until I was closer to nineteen."  
  
"We can't assume that the timelines are identical, however..."  
  
"...Because we've already noted one difference"  
  
"Did you just finish my sentence?"  
  
"You sound surprised, I apologise-force of habit"  
  
"Doesn't it annoy me?"  
  
"Surprisingly, no, in fact it was almost like you were..."  
  
"Like I was...expecting you to do it?" Jareth finished carefully.  
  
Sarah sat down on the edge of the bed, and nodded slowly.  
  
"We have to find out who or what sent me here" she said suddenly, "I need to get home!"  
  
"What is so urgent?" asked Jareth, as he sat down on the opposite side of the bed.  
  
"I'm not sure if I should tell you, it might change the future"  
  
"Your presence alone could do that"  
  
"And the situation might not be the same"  
  
"So we begin at the beginning and see what is different"  
  
"Fine" she agreed reluctantly, "could we move to another room, as always it's freezing in here!"  
  
"I find the temperature..."  
  
"...Most pleasant and acceptable, I know"  
  
"I forgot that you've lived with a version of me"  
  
"Nearly identical version I might add, in fact I..."  
  
Sarah stiffened abruptly, and turned pale.  
  
"Jareth" she whispered, "I'm still linked to the Labyrinth, and something's wrong!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't feel so good," muttered Sarah  
  
Jareth walked to the other side of the bed, just as Sarah's eyes fluttered shut and she slid almost to the floor before he caught her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * ** ***** * *  
  
Review Thanks for chapter two:  
  
To Wolfariusorca: your name is cool, and future Jareth is in the next chapter (4)  
  
General thanks to: Kalinda, stargazer39, cyber Keiko and Anne-Marie 


	4. Chapter four

Disclaimer: i own nothing that is featured in the movie Labyrinth.The song is from the Pokemon soundtrack

A/N: This is Future Jareth P.O.V, written as a songfic, cos i cant stop thinking how well this song goes,lol. Also the timeflow is different between timelines.realise it may not be long/informative but this is the mood.

What Might Have Been...

Chapter Four

King Jareth, the one who is married to Sarah, woke one morning to find his wife missing.

Over the next several weeks his agents searched the entire known realms for their Queen, with no success.

_How will I start  
Tomorrow without you here  
Who's heart will guide me  
When all the answers disappear_

Jareth would have searched for her himself, but there were threats beyond the borders that only he could deal with.

_Is it too late  
Are you too far gone to stay  
This one's forever  
Should never have to go away_

"it's rather strange" he mused, late one evening-alone in their room, "that i am beginning to accept the idea that she might be gone forever"

_What will I do  
You know I'm only half without you  
How will I make it through_

Gazing over the moonlit Labyrinth, he could see signs of her presence every where in the roses that covered the city walls, a silent tear slid down his cheek glimmering in the moonlight.

_If only tears could bring you back to me  
If only love could find a way  
What I would do, what I would give  
If you returned to me someday  
Somehow, someway  
If my tears could bring you back to me_

If only he could find out who had taken her, he would pay any price to see her returned to him.

_I'd cry you an ocean  
If you'd sail on home again  
Wings of emotion  
Will carry you, I know they can_

"Galan" he called out, drying his eyes some time later.

"master?" said the chief spy, appearing out of the shadows

"have you checked your contacts in the Shadow Realm?"

"surely they would not dare?"

perhaps and perhaps not, check anyway"

"It shall be done."

The creature disappeared, and Jareth returned to his vigil.

_Just light will guide you  
And your heart will chart the course  
Soon you'll be drifting  
Into the arms of your true north_

He had an idea, standing on the roof he called out to the Labyrinth.

_ Look in my eyes  
And you will see a million tears have gone by  
And still they're not dry_

what is it?

_I seek the Queen, can you find her?_

she is not here

_Clearly that is so, can you tell me where?_

Beyond this time,beyond this place.The Queen is gone-you must bring her back!

_Believe me, i want to! but how?_

We are linked, all three.Memory is a powerful beacon, give me the fuel and i will create it

Jareth wasn't sure what it meant, communication with the Entity that controlled the Labyrinth, that was the Labyrinth-tended to be...difficult for those not as closely linked as the Queen.He was close to giving into despair, a thousand possibilities rushing through his mind.

_If only tears could bring you back to me  
If only love could find a way  
What I would do, what I would give  
If you returned to me someday  
Somehow, someway  
If my tears could bring you back to me_

your fondest memory of her, show it to me

His fondest memory, he smiled and replayed it through his mind.At first it was the ballroom where he'd attepted to distract her, but this time there were no jeers, no onlookers, no clock, just the two of them and the music...

_ I hold you close  
And shout the words I only whispered before  
For one more chance, for one last dance  
There's nothing that I would not give and more_

...then when it finished, he had kissed her, and asked her to marry him.

that will do nicely

He felt the Presence leave his mind, this time when the tears slid down his face, it was hope.

_ If only tears could bring you back to me  
If only love could find a way  
What I would do, what I would give  
If you returned to me someday  
Somehow, someway  
If my tears could bring you back to me _

Jareth knew he would find her, no matter where she was, or what the cost.Sarah was his Queen, his Love and he would not abandon her.

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Review thanks for chapter three:

general thanks: Stargazer39,theonevanyel (is that vanyel as in mercedes lackey?),Kalinda and Annemarie

I'm glad all you guys are enjoying it.

to Musicgirl141: "weird...but cool", thanks, i think, lol


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